Ordnance breech mechanism.



. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM.

ORDNANCE BREEGH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18. I918.

Patented Apr. 1,1919.

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UNITE STATES PATENT oEEicE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUGKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER,

ENGLAND.

Application filed April 18, 1918.

To all whomz't may concern Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, knight, and Sir GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, knight, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Ordnance Breech Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ordnance breech mechanism of the swinging breech screw carrier type and has for its chief object to provide improved means for detachably retaining the breech screw in position on the carrier spigot.

According to the invention the said means comprise a retaining member or plate mounted to move transversely in the breech screw and adapted to engage in a recess in the carrier spigot, this member being under the control of a device, such as an eccentric pin, arranged at right angles to the direction of movement of the retaining member, whose actuating part is situated in a readily accessible position at the rear face of the breech screw. Means may be provided for locking the said pin in the position corresponding to the retaining and dismantling positions of the retaining member. 7

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into efl'ect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of breech mechanism provided with a constructional form of the retaining plate and the eccentric pin.

Fig. 2 is a section taken approximately on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1, the retaining plate be ing shown in the locking or retaining position and the eccentric pin being shown locked in the corresponding position.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken approximately on the lines 3, 3 and 4, 4 respectively of Fig. 2 showing the retaining plate in the locking position and in the dismantling position respectively.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to the left hand portion of Fig. 2, but showing the eccentric pin displaced to the unlocked position prior to its being moved to shift the retaining plate to the dismantling position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but show Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Serial No. 229,473.

ing the retaining plate in the dismantling position and the eccentric pin locked to hold the plate in this position, and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a plan, a section taken on the line 8, 8 of Fig. 7 and a side elevation of the eccentric pin drawn to an enlarged scale.

A is the breech end of the gun, B1 the breech screw, C the carrier and C the carrier spigot. D is the aforesaid retaining plate and c is the recess in the carrier spigot for the reception of this plate. E is the aforesaid eccentric pin for moving the plate D to its retaining and dismantling positions.

In the example shown, the plate D is mounted to slide radially in the breech screw and is of substantial width, its inner end being of reduced thickness and of concave shape to engage in the corresponding recess a in the outer surface of the carrier spigot. The said plate has a hole for the reception of the eccentric portion of the pin E which is held in position in the breech screw by a stud c engaging in a circumferential groove E in the pin. For locking the said pin in the positions corresponding to the retaining and dismantling positions of the retaining plate, each end of the groove E in the eccentric pin is formed with a forwardly extending recess a and a spring E is employed for moving the pin axially in a rearward direction when either of these recesses comes opposite the stud e (see Figs. 2 and 6). In order to angularly move the said pin it has first to be displaced axially in a forward direction against the resistance of the spring until the particular recess with which the stud c has been engaging moves clear of the stud (see Fig. 5). The rear face of the pin has a transverse groove or recess 0* for the reception of a screw-driver or similar tool by which the pin can be moved forward and then angularly displaced as aforesaid.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In ordnance breech mechanism, the combination with the breech screw mounted to move angularly upon a spigot of the carrier, of a breech-screw retaining member mounted to move transversely in the breech screw and adapted to engage with a recess in the spigot and a device for moving said member said device having its actuating part situated at the rear face of the breech screw.

' 2. In ordnance breech mechanism, the

screwand adapted to engage with a recess 7 ing said membenthis pinhaving its actuating :part situated at the rear face of the breech screw.

3 In ordnance breech mechanism, the. combination with the breech screw mounted V to move angularlyj upon aspigot of the car- Q rier, of a breech-screw retaining member mounted to moveftransverselyjlin thebreech screw and adaptedto engage witha-recess in the spigot, and an eccentric pin for'moving said member, this pin, being arranged at right angles tothe'direction of movement of the member and having its actuating part situated at therear face of thebreech V screw. m v v 4; In "ordnance breech mechanism, the

combination with the breech screw mounted to move angularly upon a spigotof thecar rier, of 1 a: breech-screw retaining member mounted to move transversely in the breech screw and adapted to engage with a recess in the spigot,oa device 'for moving" said member said device havingits actuating part situated atthe rear faceof the breech's'crew,

'andfm'eans for automatically lockingsaid device in the positions corresponding to the. retaining and dismantling positions'of said member. i

5. In ordnance breech mechanism, the

- combination with the: breech screw mounted rier, of a breech-screw retaining member m'ounted'to move transversely in the breech screw and adapted to engage with arecess in the spigot, an eccentric pin for moving 7 said member, this pin-havingits actuating 7 Genie: etthis patent may be nbtained torhve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents,

part situated at the rear face. of the breech screw, and means for automatically locking said pin in positions corresponding tethe retaining and dismantling positions of. said" member.

' 6. In ordnance breech mechanism, -the combination with the breech screw mounted to move angularly upon a spigot of the carrier, of a' breech-screw retaining member I mounted to move transversely in the breech screw and adapted to engage with a recess vin the spigot, anleccentric pin for moving said member, this pinbeing arranged at right angles to the direction of movement of v the member-and having itsactuating part situated at the rear face of the breech screw, and means for automatically locking said ,pin in positions corresponding to the retaming and c'lismantling'positions of said member.

' 7. In: ordnance breech mechanism, the

combination with the breech screw mounted to move angularly'upon a spigot of the car rier, of a breech-screw retaining member mounted to movetransversely in the breech screw "and; adapted to engagewith a recess in the spigot, an eccentricpin for moving said member, this pin being arranged at right angles to the direction of movement of the member with its actuating part situated at the" rear face of'the breechscrew and also being capable ofangular movement for adjusting'sai'd member to the retaining or the dismantling position as desired and of axial movement for automaticallylock- 'ing said member in either of its adjusted positions; e V I r 7 8. In ordnance breech mechanism, the

V combination with the breech screw mounted to move ,angul'arly upon a spigot of the carrier,- of a breech-screw retaining member mounted tomove transversely in the breech screw and :adapted :to engage with agrecess in the spigot, an eccentric pin for moving 7 {said member, this pin being arrangedat V to move angularly upon a spigot of thecari right angles'to the directionof movement of the member and having its actuating part situated at the rear face of the breech screw, a stud carried by the breech screw-for engaging V with a circumferential groove in said pin, this grooveterminating at;each end in a longitudinal recess, and aspring'for displacing said pin axially to, cause one of these recesses to engage with-thestud so as, to lock thepin when it has been adjusted tov cause 'thesaid member to assume either Washington, D. 0. 

